Loading arrangement for covered hopper cars



June 17, 1969 ADLER LOADING ARRANGEMENT FOR COVERED HOPPER CARS Filed Nov. 1s,v 1967 Sheet L of 2' wwmw wmmw gm ew F; P ADLER LOADING ARRANGEMENT FOR COVERED HOPPER CARS Jun 17, 1969 Filed Nov. 13, 1967 Sheet & Q

United States Patent US. Cl. 214-832 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A loading arrangement for a covered hopper car having a plurality of hatch covers provided in the roof which are movable between open and closed position, the hatch covers each being provided with at least one tubular section, with said sections in the closed position of the covers longitudinally registering with each other to provide a continuous conduit extending over the hoppers within the car and being provided with discharge openings which permit the material which is delivered to the conduit to be distributed to the hoppers of the car.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of invention? The invention concerns railway cars known as covered hopper cars. Such cars generally comprise a plurality of hoppers which are loaded through roof openings having hatch covers which provide access to the interior of the car. Such a car is disclosed in applicants Patent No. 3,167,030 patented Jan. 26, 1965. Cars of this type are generally provided by the railroads for cartying bulk type material such as flour, cement, cereals, and many others of granulated form. Another hopper car showing the field of invention is the 'Warheit Patent 3,175,518 patented Mar. 30, 1965.

Description of the prior art The aforementioned patents disclose hopper cars of the prior art. In these arrangements a substantially continuous elongated opening is provided in the roof which is utilized for loading of the hoppers. During train operation the roof opening, or eolngated hatch, is normally closed by a plurality of hatch covers which are locked over the opening to effectively seal the same against the entrance of foreign material into the hoppers. In hoppers of the type disclosed an operator usually stands on the roof and projects a loading hose through the hatch opening for filling the hopper car along its length. Usually this operation also requires a second man stationed within the warehouse etc. whose job it is to see that the material continues to flow into the hose for delivery to the interior of the hopper car. Proper distribution of the loading therefore is dependent upon the skill of the person loading and generally at least two people are required. The present design is intended to permit this operation to be handled more eflectively and efliciently.

SUMMARY The invention encompasses a loading arrangement comprising a plurality of tubular conduits which are suitably connected to the underneath surfaces of a plurality of hatch covers extending in end-to-end relation over a continuous hatch opening of the hopper car. The tubular conduits are suitably connected to a loading tube extending outwardly of the railway car and each tubular conduit is provided with opposite ends which in the closed position of the hatch covers register with one another to provide a substantially continuous tube having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings which automatically and efliciently direct granular material from the tubular conduit into the hoppers of the car. Thus an operator may simply connect the loading tube to one of the sections which are movably supported with the cover and material passing through the loading tube will be directed through the continual conduit formed by the sections and discharged therefrom in a uniform and eflicient manner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a hopper car with a portion of the side wall broken away to show the interior of the car;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a hopper car shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through a hatch cover showing an end wall of a roof opening disclosing a modified loading connection for a loading arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 4 disclosing however a modified arrangement for placing a plurality of tubular sections into registry to provide a continuous conduit;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hatch cover showing another modified construction for placing a pair of tubular sections in registry during the closed position of a plurality of hatch covers; and

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The preferred embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 7, and referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a hopper car is generally designated by the reference character 10 and comprises a conventional truck supported underframe 11 suitably connected at its opposite ends by means of conventional couplers 12. The car 10 comprises vertical sides 13 reinforced by means of vertically extending supports 14. A roof 15 as shown in FIG. 2 includes a plurality of treadways 16 and 17 and the car 10 is provided with a plurality of conventional hopper-s 18 from which material may be discharged by means of frusto-conical discharge cones 19. The discharge of material from the hoppers 18 may be accomplished through the cones 19 by gravity or suitable conduit arrangements (not shown) which are conventional providing pneumatic or pressurized discharge.

The roof 15 is provided with an elongated hatch opening means 20 which extends substantially the entire length of the roof and over each of the hoppers 18. As best shown in FIG. 7 the hatch opening means 20 includes upwardly extending transversely spaced sides 21 terminating at their upper ends with longitudinally extending flanges 22. As best shown in FIG. 3 the opening 20 is also defined at opposite ends by transversely extending vertical walls 23 conforming in size and shape to the walls 21.

The hatch opening 20 as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 are suitably closed by a plurality of hatch covers designated at 24. Each hatch cover 24 is of U-shape design having downwardly extending flanges 25 which overly the flanges 22 of the vertical walls 21. As best. shown in FIG. 4 the hatch covers 24 have terminal adjacent edges 26 longitudinally spaced. Extending transversely adjacent each terminal edge 26 of each cover is an upright flanged element 27. An inverted U-shaped connector 28 straddles each pair of adjacent flanged elements 27 and is suitably hinged at 29 in FIG. 2 to the roof 15 of the car 10'. The hatch covers 24 are similarly movably connected to hinges 30, as shown in FIG. 2, thus permitting opening and closing of said covers. The specific hinge connections 29 and 30 are not disclosed in detail since they are conventional in the art. Similarly the lock arm 31 is only generally shown for suitably connecting the connectors 28 in sealing engagement over the flanged elements 27 and for locking the covers 24 in closed position. These lock arms 31 are shown in FIG. 2 and they are suitably hinged to the roof 15 as indicated at 32 and are secured in position by means of latch brackets 33.

A loading arrangement for loading the hopper car 10 is generally designated by the reference character 34 and comprises a plurality of conduit sections 35 each of which is connected to the underneath surface of one of the hatch covers 24. Each conduit section is provided at its lower portion with a plurality of longitudinally spaced discharge openings 36 through which material from the conduit sections may be discharged into the interior of the hoppers 18. As best shown in FIGS. 4, and 6 each conduit section is provided with ends 37 which register in substantially adjacent and substantially contiguous re lation with respect to an adjacent end 37 of another section 35. The sections 35 as best shown in FIG. 7 may be suitably connected by means of welds 38 to the underneath surface of each hatch cover 24.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 loading means for the registering conduit sections 35 is provided by a pair of extensions 39 which project through openings 40 provided in hatch covers 24 and are positioned at opposite ends of the hatch opening 20. Caps 41 close the tubular extensions 39. Dust tubes 42 also project outwardly through openings 43 in said covers 24 at opposite ends of the car and are suitably capped by means of caps 44.

The operation For loading of the hopper can the covers 24 are in the closed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. With the covers 24 securely locked in position by means of the locking arms 31 the registering conduit sections 35 provide a continuous conduit throughout the length of the hatch opening 20. A loading tube is now suitably connected to one of the tubular extensions 39 from which a cap 41 has been removed and material under pressure is directed through the conduit sections and is discharged into the hoppers through the openings 36. A suitable vacuum tube is connected to the dust tube 42 for withdrawing dust from the interior of the car during the loading operation. As shown in FIG. 4 in the preferred embodiment, the registering ends 37 of the sections 35 are substantially in contiguous relation. The small opening present between them will not affect the operation of the discharge of materials through the openings 36. In this arrangement each cover, upon upwardly hinged movement of the connectors 28, may be raised to an open position. In the closed position of the connectors 28 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 an effective sealing arrangement is provided so that the opening 20 is completely sealed.

Modifications In FIG. 5 the tubular sections 35 are spaced slightly downwardly from the underneath surface of the covers 24 and are retained in position thereon by means of semi-spherical collars 47 securely welded to the underneath surface of the said covers 24 and are suitably connected by means of another semi-spherical collar 48 which supports the tubular sections 35 in position. In this construction the adjacent ends 37 of the tubular sections 35 are provided with rubber or resilient sleeves 49 which resiliently engage each other to provide for sealing registering relation of the ends 37 of the tubular sections 35.

Referring now to FIG. 6 another modification is disclosed for relatively providing sealing registry of the adjacent ends 37 of each of the sections 35. As shown in this figure this is accomplished by means of a shiplap collar formed of two semi-spherical sections and 46. The sections 45 and 46 are suitably connected to the ends 37 of the sections 35 and in the closed position of the cover 24 are in registry and sealing relation. To open the covers 24, shown in FIG. 6, the left hand cover is first opened and the next adjacent cover may then be opened. The covers may have suitable written designations on the outside to indicate the succession of proper opening.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 3 a modified loading design for the conduit sections 35 is disclosed. In this particular arrangement a short section of tubing designated at 50 extends through the end walls 23, projects outwardly therefrom, and is capped as indicated at 51. In this particular situation the section 50 may be slightly spaced from the end 37 or may embody the modifications shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 for positively closing the adjacent end 37 of the section 35 which is in registry with the short tube 50. Dust tubes may be similarly disposed extending through the walls 23, the same not being shown.

Thus it is clearly apparent that a single operator may connect either of the tubular extension 39 to a loading tube and connect a vacuum hose to a. dust tube and then can load the car which may be standing on a siding adjacent to a plant with the operator performing the necessary supervision required at the situs of the material to be loaded.

If the material is to be loaded by means of a chute extending downwardly into the hatch opening 20' the covers 24 are merely placed in their open position and the car is thus loaded. Thus either type of loading may be achieved with the arrangement shown.

While I have shown and described what I have believed to be a preferred embodiment of my present invention with certain modifications thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that additional rearrangements and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a covered hopper car having a roof and a plurality of hoppers covered by said roof with said roof having a hatch opening extennding lengthwise uninterruptedly over said hoppers, a plurality of hatch covers movably supported on said: roof, longitudinally spaced with respect to each other, and movable to open and closed positions relative to said hatch opening; a loading arrangement for said hopper car comprising:

a conduit extending substantially the length of said hatch opening and including a plurality of tubular sections supported by said plurality of covers,

each section having opening means for directing material passing through said conduit to said hoppers, each section having at least two open ends and said sections being adapted in the closed position of adjacent covers to substantially register with one another providing continuity of said conduit over said hatch opening, and

a loading means connected to said conduit.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said loading means comprising a tubular element projecting outwardly of said hopper car and communicating with one of said sections for directing material to said conduit.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2,

said loading means comprising a tubular extension of one of said tubular sections and projecting outwardly from one of said cars.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 2,

including a second tubular element projecting outwardly of said hopper car for providing communication with said hoppers.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said sections being connected to the underneath side of said covers whereby in the closed position of said covers said conduit is disposed within said hopper car.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said sections each including at their registering ends a resilient tubular element, with said tubular elements projecting longitudinally outwardly from said sections and sealingly engaging each other in the closed position of said covers.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said registering ends of said sections being provided with shiplap portions in interengagement in the closed position of said covers.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said covers including upwardly and transversely extending longitudinally spaced flanges,

an inverted U-shaped connector element movably supported on said roof and in the closed position overlying said registering ends and engaging said flanges in sealing relation, and

latch means for releasably connecting said connector elements in said closed position.

9. In a covered hopper car having a roof and a plurality of hoppers, said roof having a plurality of hatch covers movably supported on said roof over opening means therein, and said covers being movable to open and closed positions relative to said opening means; a loading arrangement for said hopper car comprising:

a plurality of tubular sections supported by said plurality of covers, each section having opening means for directing material passing therethrough to said hoppers, said sections being communicatively interconnected in the closed position of said covers to provide a longitudinally extending continuous conduit within said car, and a loading means connected to said conduit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,707,206 3/1929 Bernert 302-59 XR 2,743,965 5/1956 Mattson et a1 302-59 ALBERT J. MAKAY, Primary Examiner. 

